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Topic: Roof boxes

RachlN76

02/5/2014 at 12:52pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Vango Maritsa 700; Isis 600 + canopy

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This isn't towing, but it is cars, so I thought I'd put it here.

This year, I'm going to get a roof box. But I'm fairly clueless about these things.

I understand that I need bars. Fine.
And I need a box.

And when I get to my destination, I would generally remove the box, although this isn't essential.

But the bars. Do they stay on the car 365 days a year? Or do I fit and unfit those every time I want to put the box on?

I'm sorry, I know this is a really dim question! Feel free to laugh at me once you've told me what to do!

clbewi

02/5/2014 at 1:15pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: Lunar Delta TS 2017

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Hi, I 've had a roof box and hated it,couldn't get that much in it loading it was a pain due to the height and they can be bloody expensive to buy. But each to their own!
You will need bars which generally are specific to your car, some cars have slots I the roof where they clip on, Thule is a make that springs to mind. I wouldn't leave the bars on all year round as they are noisy when left on. I don't think you would want to take the box off on site it's a lot of faffing about.

Colin

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Claire and Colin

clever

02/5/2014 at 1:39pm
Location: Derbyshire
Outfit: Adria Altea 542DT

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I always take our bars off when not in use. You can leave them on but they sometimes make a noise at speed that really gets on your nerves.

You can get aero-bars that are supposed to reduce the noise, but I'm not sure how effective they are.

Grampian91

02/5/2014 at 3:35pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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I leave my bars attached to the box. Fit the bars/box as one unit.

If you want to leave the box or bars on the car its your choice.

No set rules. Whatever suits your needs.

I have a spare set of bars i cut down slightly and they fix to the back seats, Takes up no room and handy if im out and ever need to carry something on the roof.

RachlN76

02/5/2014 at 3:55pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Vango Maritsa 700; Isis 600 + canopy

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Ah. Bars attached to box. That makes sense.

Are they tricky to fit though? I am a bit worried about the height thing.
I have an smax which is slightly higher than a normal car. I'm only 4'11" and our drive is slightly on a slope.

Logically, it seems like a recipe for disaster, but I need more space somehow!

weegmack

02/5/2014 at 4:17pm
Location: Ayrshire
Outfit: Trigano Tribute 669

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Quote: Originally posted by RachlN76 on 02/5/2014
Ah. Bars attached to box. That makes sense.

Are they tricky to fit though? I am a bit worried about the height thing.
I have an smax which is slightly higher than a normal car. I'm only 4'11" and our drive is slightly on a slope.

Logically, it seems like a recipe for disaster, but I need more space somehow!

We've not long got a VW T5 Conversion, with roof bars and are about to buy a roof box. I'm also 4'11"! I'll be using a ladder......I'm thinking of buying from halfords, because they can help you choose the one best for your vehicle. They're doing a deal just now on the bars and box.x

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Gillian

tango55

02/5/2014 at 4:25pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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What you need to do initially is to set the bars and roof box up specifically for your car. Now if you leave the bars attached to the roofbox like I do then no more setting up is required because the 4 mounts will correspond to the roof mountings every time. If you decided to detach the box from the roof bars then setting up will be required each time. The setting up is as follows:
The roofbox will have holes in the base where the 4 'U' clamps fit through and the securing nuts fit on the inside of the roofbox floor. The next stage is to fit the front and rear roof bars securely to your car roof then put the box loosely on the 2 fixed bars. You have to slide the box along and visually look till one front row of holes line up to which the rear ones should also align up as well. If they don't then you may have to drill a pair of holes to correspond to the roof bars. Insert the 4 'U' clamps at front and rear and just pinch them up but don't tighten them then go to the front of the vehicle and visually look to see if the box is straight and central. You can use a ruler each side to equal the distance if you want. When you are satisfied with the fitment then tighten each 'U' clamp individually but it's best to do opposite fixings ie. front right then back left and vice versa. The roof box is now permanently fitted to the car roof. If you leave the roof box attached to the bars then all you do is unlock the 4 roof bar feet and remove the whole unit as one so the next time you attach the roof box it's just a matter of locating the 4 feet but watch you don't scratch the car roof so an assistant will be required. If you remove as individual items then you will have the process of setting up next time you fit the roofbox. The fitting can differ with saloon cars and estates as some estates have factory fitted roof rails so the roof bar feet will not be identical.
If you visit www.roofbox.co.uk there is a list of vehicles with bars that correspond with your car and if you make a purchase from them you get a 5% discount being a member of UK Campsite.

malc1945

02/5/2014 at 8:25pm
Location: south yorks
Outfit: bailey senator indiana seris 6

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hi we have a S max and the roof bars can only go in one position .I bought a second hand box of flea bay. fit your bars then put the box on you. may have predrilled holes for the u bolts . I hade to drill some to fit the rear bar put that is easy to do fitting the u bolts on the hinge side is a pain I use the caravan step to reach in and also to load just put the awning in the box not the poles

LightFantastic

02/5/2014 at 10:11pm
Location: East Sussex
Outfit: Conway Crusader 2001 folding camper

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As said above, whether you have the box attached to the bars and then attach as one unit, or attach box separately is personal preference.

I attach the box separately, simply because I can lift the box onto the bars without any help, whereas lifting a box with two bars attached and aligning the four feet of the bars to the car mounting points, without catching on roof/paint is impossible by yourself. Also, I store my box on its rear end upright in the garage against the wall (with padding etc. of course on the floor) so to also have the bars attached would make it stick out further/be more unwieldy.

I only attach the bars when I'm going to be using the box, remove them when I don't have the box. As others said, you can often get wind/whistling noise with just the bars on, even with Aero bars.

What I'd recommend is getting bars that have T-tracks. Then you can dispense with the U bracket means of attaching to the bar by using a set of these..

I originally used the U bracket things and you need to be careful, as said, not to drop the U bracket part as you're trying to fasten the thumb nuts inside the box. With the T-track kit they are already on the box and you just line them up with the T-track and slide the box on, then tighten up the thumb nuts. So much easier than the U bracket things.

Grampian91

02/5/2014 at 11:43pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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The guy i bought my box from had a garagee with the box suspended over the car with puleys. He just lowered and raised it when fitting/removing.

I have roof rails so its easy to fit the box and bars in one piece. Lower the front feet onto the bars and slide it forward until the rear feet sit on the rails.

On a taller car or smaller person it wouldnt be so easy.

As above though the U bolts are a pain to have to keep fitting and removing.

I would look for some quick release fittings.

Kelper

03/5/2014 at 12:01pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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Hmmm ...
1. Roof bars left on the car will interfere with the aerodynamic profile of your car, so expect increase in fuel consumption, plus, as mentioned above, possibility of noise.
2. A lot depends on the type of bar you get. Ours (for the Passat), fit on and off very quickly (5 mins).
3. Fitting of U clamps etc is only with less well designed boxes. Pretty well the entire Thule range has clamps which have a large screw knob, for each quick release clamp, operated from the inside floor of the box ... again our Thule Atlantis takes about five minutes max to set up and clamp on ... I can even manage it on my own. We often take ours off when we reach a camp site, saves on fuel when driving around ... often quite long siteseeing drives.
4. There are many types and designs ... have a good look round before you buy. The Thule (for instance) opens on either side, which can be very useful if what you want happens to be on the opposite side.

Grampian91

03/5/2014 at 12:28pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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Screw knobs inside the car is not exactly a design masterpiece though is it.

Imagine a shorter person with a taller car like an S-Max. The screws are inside the box.

Silly idea. Someone needs to design something where you can clip it on and off from outside. But without being easily unclipped and stolen.

So many combinations its probably impossible to make something that suits everyone.

LightFantastic

03/5/2014 at 7:26pm
Location: East Sussex
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Quote: Originally posted by Grampian91 on 03/5/2014
Screw knobs inside the car is not exactly a design masterpiece though is it.
Imagine a shorter person with a taller car like an S-Max. The screws are inside the box.

Silly idea. Someone needs to design something where you can clip it on and off from outside. But without being easily unclipped and stolen.

I think that's the problem though. Anything external then increases the chance of the box being nicked!

I'm not the tallest of people, so have to open the doors and stand on the sills to reach the furthest thumb screws when attaching the box, and my car isn't tall, so I agree that for someone smaller with a tall car it'd certainly be much trickier.

Thule are one of the best designs of boxes and even they're using internal thumb screws, which says something. I'm sure if they could've designed something secure, easy to use and external they would have.

Kelper

04/5/2014 at 10:09am
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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Screw knobs inside the box ... not inside the car

Though that would have solved the problem for the vertically challenged.

RachlN76

04/5/2014 at 11:50am
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Vango Maritsa 700; Isis 600 + canopy

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Wow, it's all a bit more complicated than I thought, and with a lot more options.

I might just get a trailer.....

Kelper

04/5/2014 at 4:59pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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Then the complications really begin!
Will cost more if you ferry abroad.
But is a mandatory step in the sequence:
Car
Car plus Roof Box
Car plus Roof Box plus Trailer
Car plus Roof Box plus Van/FC/TT
Though many will not go further than a tent ... i.e. purist camping.

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